Aerated chocolate confectioneries, i.e., aerated fat-based confectioneries are well known as so-called “air chocolate,” which is obtained by dispersing micro bubbles in a flowable chocolate mass and then cooling and solidifying the chocolate mass with the micro bubbles dispersed therein. Such aerated fat-based confectioneries have light texture and sharp melt-in-the-mouth sensation different from that of the conventional chocolates, and this texture adds a value to confectioneries and serves as an appeal point to consumers. A method using a mold is generally considered for the production of such aerated fat-based confectioneries. Since fat-based confectioneries with micro bubbles dispersed therein have a fragile texture and are less likely to cause shrinkage of the mass in cooling and solidification, it would be difficult to separate the fat-based confectionery from the mold. Due to the fragile texture, it is also difficult to apply a physical cutting means to the confectionery while maintaining the shape. To overcome this drawback, for example, a product obtained by preparing an outer shell using a chocolate mass with micro bubbles not dispersed therein and filling a mass with micro bubbles dispersed therein into the shell has been proposed (JP H08(1996)-242768 (PTL 1)). The application of a technique in which taper is provided so as to open in the direction of an opening of the mold from the viewpoint of easily taking out the molded product from the mold and, further, for example, the surface of the mold is rendered matte to improve the separability is also considered effective (JP H08(1996)-289729A (PTL 2)).
In the shell-type confectioneries including an aerated fat-based confectionery having an outer surface covered with a conventional mass with micro bubbles not dispersed therein, however, the aerated fat-based confectionery located on the inner side of the shell melts after melting of the outer shell. Thus, disadvantageously, instant sharp melting sensation in the mouth cannot be provided in eating time. With the taper which is provided in a mold from the viewpoint of easily taking out a molded product in order to obtain a molded product composed of an aerated fat-based confectionery only without using a shell, the shape and area of the top surface of the resultant confectionery is different from the shape and area of the bottom surface. Consequently, in some packaging form, alignment of the product pieces in an identical direction is necessary.
Methods are known in which confectioneries are cut with a hot-wire form cutter or a heated wire. Examples thereof include a method that includes dropping a solidified ice confectionery mass on a heating wire to dissolve and cut the confectionery mass (JP S58(1983)-107139A (PTL 3)), a method that includes cutting ganache or jelley molded into a plate form with a piano wire (JP 2000-24992A (PTL 4)), and a method that includes cutting a plate or rectangular parallelepiped confectionery with thin wires stretched perpendicularly to each other, in longitudinal and lateral directions by single movement (JP 2000-262218A (PTL 5)). Further, a method is also known that includes extruding an ice confectionery with air introduced thereinto into a strand shape and cutting the strand with a high-temperature heated wire (JP 2002-503491A (PTL 6)). Furthermore, a cutter is known that includes a combination of a crossed wire with a transverse wire provided perpendicularly to the crossed wire and is used for cutting a cooking ingredient in an efficient and safe manner into small cubes (JU 3101735B (PTL 7)). These patent publications that disclose methods using high-temperature wires do not disclose chocolates, especially aerated fat-based confectioneries, as a cutting object.